


“You keep saying that we are friends, but you look at me for a moment too long for that to be true.”

by SomePiece



Series: Flufftember 2020 [8]
Category: One Piece
Genre: 2nd person POV, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Confessions, F/M, Fluff, M/M, Mutual Pining, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-18
Updated: 2021-01-18
Packaged: 2021-03-16 17:34:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 720
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28834956
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SomePiece/pseuds/SomePiece
Summary: Just a little fluffy ficlet, based on the prompt in the title. Part of Flufftember challenge I was running on my blog.
Relationships: Benn Beckman/Original Character(s), Benn Beckman/Reader, Benn Beckman/You
Series: Flufftember 2020 [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2114109
Comments: 1
Kudos: 25





	“You keep saying that we are friends, but you look at me for a moment too long for that to be true.”

You felt his gaze on you once again. Longing, wary and passionate. Iron-gray eyes were following you wherever you moved, every step of yours carefully measured and admired. But each tame you gazed back, his look immediately turned away towards the pistols he was cleaning. He was a way too good observer to be caught like that. Sometimes you felt paranoid - was he really staring, or maybe it was just your imagination? But the itchy feeling of being watched was still there, turning you flustered and a bit uneasy. And, of course, there were gossips. You might had never been caught, but he wasn’t the only person around with his eyes open. The crew saw, the crew realised, the crew was tattling and teasing. Once again, you felt the stare, followed by whistles and laughter of drunk people. And you had enough.

This weird game of a cat and a mouse had started short after you had joined the crew. Almost immediately you had made a hit with Benn; the sheer contrast between him and the merry crew had grasped your attention. He was calm, he was reserved, he was steady. And, of course, he was handsome. You had been trying to get in closer touch him countless of times - flirting, teasing, just trying to be around - but as you couldn’t say he wasn’t friendly towards you, there also was a discernible distance he had been keeping. But on the other hand - he had been watching. All. The. Time. Since the day his gaze had landed on you for the first time, you were feeling it on you endlessly. There might had been days when you didn’t exchange a single word, but you couldn’t remember one without the presence of his eyes, gliding along your body.

You two were truly stuck in a limbo. Someone had to push the line one or other way around. And you decided it was your role.

Once you gathered courage, you took two bottles of a cold beverage and joined his isolated spot. Seeing you getting close, Benn stubbed his cigarette and moved his pistols out of your way.

“Thirsty?” You reached out to him and winked. He either didn’t get a reference or perfectly controlled his face, his only reaction was accepting the bottle you offered him. 

“You were staring.” You didn’t want to give up. “I’ve caught you.”

It was an obvious bluff he could easily slap down - but instead Benn picked up the gauntlet and, for the first time, his eyes openly met yours. The intensity of his gaze almost crushed you, you barely collected yourself and shooed the itch for looking away.

“I wasn’t,” he calmly said, studying attentively your reactions. “Not more than necessary. I always watch my friends. Those aren’t calm seas.”

“You keep saying that we are friends,” you bounced his words back. A wild idea came through your mind and - before you could think twice - you reached towards him and booped him. “But you look at me for a moment too long for that to be true.”

He let you touch him - and then move your hand towards his cheek. All the time his eyes remained locked with yours, the steel of gaze melting second after second. 

“This shouldn’t be happening,” he eventually spoke, an unusual hesitation breaking through his voice. “We are crewmates.”

“Is there something wrong with it?”

Benn didn’t answer you, his eyes finally breaking the contact and gazing somewhere into the void. Under any other circumstance you would be enamored by this sudden shyness, but the sting of rejection hurt your pride. You awkwardly cleared your throat and ended your drink.

“Let’s forget about this conversation then.” You made your decision, ready to leave him alone with his thoughts.

“I never said I want to forget about it.” Still avoiding your eyes, Benn blindly reached and squeezed your hand. His fingers were rough and strong, this touch was far from as gentle as a feather - but warmth pooled in your heart nevertheless. “Just… Let’s give us some time.”

He lifted your hand and brushed his lips against your knuckles: a short, tender kiss, full of innocence and respect - but also promising more. You answered him with a smile, you were ready to accept his offer. Man like him was worth some waiting. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! If you liked it, I'll really appreciate, if you leave a kudo and/or a comment (*˘︶˘*).｡.:*♡
> 
> This was written for a request on my writing tumblr some-piece. I encourage you to visit it, since I'm far more active there. And from time to time I am open for requests ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)


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